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This year has been tough on Miami restaurants. Here's what closed in 2025 so far

This year has been tough on Miami restaurants. Here's what closed in 2025 so far

Miami Herald8 hours ago
The year 2025 has been a rough year — particularly in the late spring and early summer — for Miami-area restaurants.
With so many new restaurants opening in the past several years, a large number closings are almost certainly an inevitability. Many restauranteurs and chefs admit they're hurting. The high prices of food, rent and insurance weigh heavy on them and their customers — especially the locals who can't flee for cooler climates for the entire slow season.
Here are some of the notable closings around Miami this year. Some say they'll return, while others vanished quietly. Long-time spots thanked their customers and strode into the sunset with more than a little pride, knowing that 10 years or more is an eternity in restaurant terms. Especially in Miami.
EntreNos: This Michelin-starred gem, which focused on Florida ingredients from its fish to its pork to its produce, shared space with Tinta y Cafe in Miami Shores. After two years, when the lease was up, chefs Evan Burgess and Osmel Gonzalez moved on. Should we mention they claim they are reopening at some point?
Erba: Nobody involved seems to want to talk about the closing of this fine Italian restaurant in Coral Gables, owned by Nolan Reynolds International and showcasing the culinary talents of Chef Niven Patel (who also is the creative force behind Paya in Miami Beach; Ghee Indian Kitchen in Kendall and Wynwood; and NiMo in Tequesta). All we know is you can't make a reservation any more.
Maty's: James Beard Award-winning Chef Val Chang's love letter to her Peruvian grandmother closed in Midtown Miami. The shutdown was a double whammy: It also signaled the impending closure of her brother Nando's exquisite omakase space Itamae Ao, as the restaurants shared a space.
Byblos: This Mediterranean gem is closed while its home at the Royal Palm South Beach Miami hotel is undergoing a $100 million renovation project.
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat: The Asian-inspired restaurant located in the South of Fifth neighborhood of Miami Beach says it plans to only close for the season. There's no reopening date.
Itamae Ao: If we hadn't heard that Chef Nando Chang was seeking a home for his amazing Michelin-starred omakase counter, we'd have filed this under 'huge losses.' But Chang has said he is searching for a new spot. Fingers crossed.
Kush Wynwood and Stephen's by Kush: These local favorites from Matt Kuscher's hospitality group are expected to reopen.
La Mar by Gastón Acurio: The Peruvian-style restaurant on the water lost its home when it was decided the Mandarin Oriental would be demolished, but there are plans to reopen in Brickell.
Piegari: This Italian restaurant, one of many in Wynwood, closed after only a year but reports that it plans to reopen with 'necessary changes and improvements.' Will it? Stay tuned.
Torno Subito: The Italian restaurant atop Julia & Henry's food hall insists it will reopen in the fall, despite the fact that development in that part of downtown Miami hasn't quite caught up to it yet.
Belmont Spanish Restaurant: Twelve years of Spanish cuisine and culture ended in January when Belmont left Miracle Mile.
Le Zoo: Stephen Starr's French brasserie closed after 10 years at the luxurious Bal Harbour Shops.
Ms Cheezious: The food truck still exists, but the brick-and-mortar spot in MiMo, conceived in 2010, is no longer in business
Red South Beach: When its owners were unable to reach an agreement with the landlord, the luxury steakhouse closed after 17 years.
Sugarcane: The influential OG of Midtown Miami announced early in 2025 that it was ending its run after 15 years.
Villa Azur: The Mediterranean restaurant and party spot closed after 13 years in Miami Beach.
Caffe Vialetto: This beloved Italian spot for celebrating milestones in Coral Gables shut down after 26 years.
Osteria del Teatro: This Italian spot on 79th Street Causeway almost made it to 40 years in business. Instead, it closed after 37.
Sardinia: After just shy of 20 years, this Italian restaurant in the Sunset Harbour neighborhood of Miami Beach known for its wood-burning oven and robust wine list, said goodbye.
Ensenada: The coastal Mexican spot from Brooklyn left its Vagabond Hotel space in the MiMo neighborhood after only six months.
RedFarm: The Chinese dim sum giant from New York shut down operations in Coconut Grove a year after its opening.
Sereia: This elegant Portuguese restaurant from Chef Henrique Sá Pessoa shut down after a year.
Velvet Taco: The brand from Dallas still operates a location in Fort Lauderdale, but its time in Wynwood ended after less than a year.
Fiola: The glamorous Italian restaurant in Coral Gables closed but only to make way for Gioia Hospitality's new venture, the upscale Daniel's Steakhouse, which has been a big hit in Fort Lauderdale.
Ostrow Brasserie: Chef Olivia Ostrow's kosher French restaurant shut down in the Buena Vista neighborhood, with Ostrow moving on with Maison Ostrow in a bigger space (the former Osteria del Teatro) in North Bay Village.
Wabi Sabi: The MiMo location is gone, but in its place is Midorie, one of the other Japanese concepts from restaurateur Alvaro Perez-Miranda (also the force behind the Michelin-starred Ogawa in Little River).
Aba: This Mediterranean spot from Chicago moved on from its space in Bal Harbour Shops after two and a half years.
Chica: The Latin restaurant from Venezuelan-born celebrity chef Lorena Garcia, located in the old Soyka space in Miami, announced its closing on OpenTable.
Harry's Pizzeria: The South Beach and the Coconut Grove locations of the pizza spot from Chef Michael Schwartz quietly shut down.
Like Mike: The Italian restaurant in Coconut is now the home of its Italian neighbor restaurant, Sapore di Mare.
Planta Queen: The Coconut Grove and Fort Lauderdale locations of this vegan spot are both closed.
Tablé by Bachour: You might never have known this French spot from Antonio Bachour had closed if you didn't drive past it in the Design District and notice the windows papered over.
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Giada De Laurentiis accuses Mario Batali of making sexist comments in foreword of her 1st cookbook

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Giada De Laurentiis accuses Mario Batali of making sexist comments in foreword of her 1st cookbook

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Taylor Swift is reinventing her style for a 'Showgirl' era. There's a reason for that.
Taylor Swift is reinventing her style for a 'Showgirl' era. There's a reason for that.

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Taylor Swift is reinventing her style for a 'Showgirl' era. There's a reason for that.

Swift recently unveiled a series of extravagant outfits for her new album, "The Life of a Showgirl," featuring plenty of crystals and scalloped diamonds. Another album, another standout sartorial era. On Wednesday night, Taylor Swift unveiled the track list and album artwork for her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, which will be released on Oct. 3. Just as the album's title suggests, Swift has so far referenced burlesque imagery in her looks, with feathered boas, opulent headpieces and scalloped diamonds fit for the most glamorous burlesque dancer. With help from luxury houses like Area, The Blonds and Rene Caovilla, Swift's Showgirl era is already underscoring that more is more — and that a true Vegas showgirl always embraces excess. For the album cover of The Life of a Showgirl, Swift wore an intricate, crystal-embellished minidress with a balconette-style bra and scalloped cutouts from embellishment designer Area. The garment hails from the brand's spring 2022 collection and is a nod to what Vogue describes as 'the glitz of an off-duty Vegas dancer.' Art Deco-inspired glamour appears to be the theme of Swift's recently unveiled Showgirl era. Also among her featured album artwork ensembles is a rhinestone-encrusted, deep red one-piece with a corseted bodice and pointed accents along the bust from The Blonds fall-winter 2024 collection. Swift completed the look with matching opera gloves and knee-high boots, along with her signature fishnet tights. Swift's voluminous ostrich feather Showgirl look is from The Blond's fall 2025 collection too. Sarah Chappelle, a Swift-focused fashion critic, notes how the brand's designers previously said that their muse for this specific collection was a 'model, showgirl, it-girl, or an actress' — appropriate descriptors for Swift's Deco-coded sartorial era. The False God hitmaker paired the extravagant, light pink getup with a crystal headpiece and chandelier wrap-around sandals by Rene Caovilla. Swift's Showgirl style is capturing the attention of both Swifties and high-fashion aficionados in general. Jack Savoie, a stylist and content creator, was delighted by Swift's commitment to the maximalist allure of Vegas showgirl dressing. 'This era is pure glamour,' Savoie told Yahoo. 'The crystals, sweeping feathers, and gorgeous heels. It's a celebration of beauty and craftsmanship. I think it's right on trend especially after Pamela Anderson's role in The Last Showgirl. Showgirl dressing requires lots of time, details, craftsmanship and artistry, and I can only imagine the joy her stylist, Joseph Cassell Falconer, is having creating these unforgettable looks.' That Swift is clad in decadent designs isn't anything new. The Guilty as Sin pop star has proved herself to be a high-fashion darling, as she made clear with the slew of custom designer looks she wore during her record-breaking Eras Tour, which concluded late last year. Vivienne Westwood, Roberto Cavalli and Alberta Ferretti are just a handful of designers who helped bring Swift's distinct eras to life through fashion. With The Life of a Showgirl, Swift takes the glitz and glamour peppered through prior eras to showstopping new heights. She first gave audiences a taste of her Showgirl inclinations with the 'Bejeweled' music video from her Midnights era, tapping famed burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese to re-create her sultry martini-glass dance in the video. In another scene from the video, Swift has a major Moulin Rouge! moment in a custom, crystal two-piece designed by Michael Schmidt Studios. While on Travis and Jason Kelce's podcast, New Heights, Wednesday night, Swift unveiled the inspiration behind The Life of a Showgirl era: She wanted to dramatize the realities of life on the road. Swift visited 21 countries over the course of 21 months during the Eras Tour, which kicked off in March 2023 and concluded in December 2024. Clocking in 149 shows across five continents, it became the highest-grossing tour of all time. 'My day ends with me in a bathtub, not usually in a bedazzled dress. … I wanted to sort of, like, glamorize all the aspects of how the tour felt,' Swift said on the podcast. 'The reason I wanted to have an offstage moment as the main album cover is because this album isn't really about what happened to me onstage. It's about what I was going through offstage.' Solve the daily Crossword

Where to eat in Rome and Sicily
Where to eat in Rome and Sicily

Boston Globe

time4 hours ago

  • Boston Globe

Where to eat in Rome and Sicily

ROME Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Ditirambo Recommended by a foodie family member (who might be annoyed I'm sharing her favorite special spot), Ditirambo is a classic Roman trattoria. Tucked in a warren of streets near the Campo de'Fiori, the intimate space is the opposite of swanky, with a dark beamed ceiling, pale yellow walls, art by local artists, simple cloths on wood tables, and super-friendly staff. When the one table of loud Americans left, we were the only ones not speaking Italian, creating an atmosphere of hanging out with the locals. But don't let the simplicity of the place fool you. The food is the star here, with fresh seasonal ingredients driving the menu's weekly specials and fixed choices. 'I piatti di mezzo' (middle dishes), a cross between an appetizer and a first course, include vegetarian choices such as eggplant meatballs, and zucchini millefeuille with smoked buffalo mozzarella. All breads and pastas are homemade, including filled pastas — ravioli, tortelloni, and such — and the Roman classic cacio e pepe, basically Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper that is made slightly differently by every chef in town. Other seasonal specialties include rigatoni alla carbonara made with pork cheeks, farro pappardelle with rabbit ragù, sea bream with capers, tomatoes, and olives, and suckling roasted pig. Our choice, fettuccini with fresh and fried artichokes and bacon, was sublime. We paired it with a local white Lazio wine, chosen from an extensive list. Open for lunch and dinner. Advertisement della Cancelleria, 74, 00186 Roma +39-06-687-1626, At Sora Margherita in Rome's Jewish Quarter, the walls are covered with handwritten thank-you notes from happy patrons. Necee Regis Sora Margherita We had hoped to try a certain restaurant in the Jewish Quarter, but alas, it was closed for lunch that day. While wandering the neighborhood, an unexpected downpour led us running to the door of Sora Margherita, a tiny restaurant where we had one of the best meals of our trip. The place was packed with diners, but the friendly hostess managed to squeeze two soggy patrons into the one-room space and produced a handwritten menu of pastas, salads, and traditional Roman dishes: grilled marinated lamb, rustic chicken stew, steak with grilled vegetables, and fried salt cod. We ordered carciofi alla giudia, a deep-fried artichoke dish originating in Rome's Jewish community; polpete al sugo, three massive meatballs in a rich red sauce; and fettuccine cacio e pepe. When the Italian diners at our elbows were served what we had just ordered, we knew we had selected wisely. The smashed artichoke was like a golden sunflower, with leaves as crispy as potato chips that then melted in the mouth. Astonishing. The pasta was just peppery and cheesy enough, though our new friends suggested that next time we try it with added ricotta. The meatballs, flavorful and filling, were the perfect accompaniment to a glass of wine. As the lunch crowd departed, we could view the walls covered with handwritten thank-you notes from happy patrons. We were too full to order dessert, but our neighbors insisted we try a bite of their ricotta and sour cherry tart, a classic Jewish Quarter sweet. Open for lunch and dinner, with outside dining when weather permits. Advertisement Piazza delle Cinque Scole, 30, 00186, Roma +39-06-687-4216, The cool interior of Glass, a restaurant serving typical Sicilian dishes and pizza in the hilltop town of Piazza Armerina. Necee Regis SICILY Glass Clinging to a hilltop in central Sicily, the small town of Piazza Armerina is a terrific place for lunch when visiting the nearby Villa Romana del Casale, a not-to-be-missed fourth-century UNESCO World Heritage site known for its more than 37,000 square feet of well-preserved Roman mosaics. Before visiting the villa, we were hiking the maze of Piazza Armerina's medieval streets on an unsuccessful hunt for pizza when someone directed us to Glass. Stepping from the bright, hot sunshine into the cool stone building, we sat beneath the arched ceiling — hungry, tired — and learned that pizza is only served at dinner. When traveling, it's easier to pivot than to force a plan that isn't working. So, we stayed, and were thrilled that we did. It was tough to choose among the many offerings of typical Sicilian foods: Antipasti with Mortadella, speck, caponata, fresh ricotta, eggplant rolls and more; beef tartar with red wine reduction; fusilli with eggplant and almonds; hand-rolled pasta twists with cream of pistachios from Bronte (a town near Mount Etna famous for its small sweet pistachios only harvested every two years); fusilli with asparagus and speck; grilled Angus beef with arugula and parmesan; rolled veal stuffed with ham and pistachios; and hand-rolled macaroni with sausage and fennel. We chose the latter two dishes, and left sated and satisfied. Maybe someday we'll return for pizza. Open for lunch and dinner. Advertisement Largo Capodarso, 5, 94015 Piazza Armerina +39-093-557-7680 Red shrimp crudo with Sicilian avocado on sauteed spinach with a grapefruit reduction, served at Portocostanza, a stylish restaurant overlooking the port in Palermo. Necee Regis Portocostanza I'd be lax if I didn't mention the prevalence of locally-caught seafood in Sicily. Sardines, anchovies, shrimp, squid, shellfish, and finfish, including swordfish, are served in pasta, grilled, fried, and raw. For a special celebratory meal, a friend in Palermo directed us to Portocostanza, a stylish restaurant overlooking the port. The creative menu focuses on Sicilian flavors, with a farm-to-table approach that includes organic vegetables and herbs acquired from local farmers and its own 5-acre garden. Watching boats lazily glide past our tableside floor-to-ceiling glass windows, we bypassed the tasting menu and shared several dishes for our lunchtime meal: red shrimp crudo with Sicilian avocado on sauteed spinach with a grapefruit reduction; spaghetti with mixed seafood in light tomato cream with capers and mint-flavored breadcrumbs; and snapper fillet with confit cherry tomato cream and Salina caper powder. All were terrific, along with house-made breads, and we'd happily return to taste the many other tempting options, such as risotto with fish broth and shrimp; crispy octopus on smoked eggplant; and mixed salad with tuna tartar, mango cream, and almond flakes. They also have a pizza menu and serve happy hour snacks on an outside upper deck. Reservations are strongly suggested for both lunch and dinner. Advertisement Marina Yachting, Via Filippo Patti, 30, 90133 Palermo +39-091-619-9199, At Bollicine in Palermo. a fire-singed, pillowy crust pizza is topped with salty prosciutto, sweet yellow cherry tomatoes, creamy Buffalo mozzarella, and earthy, nutty artichokes. Necee Regis Bollicine Palermo is known for its street food, especially arancina, cheese or meat-filled deep-fried rice balls, and for its gelaterias serving a wide selection of fruity, nutty and chocolate/coffee flavors. We sampled many of these wondrous things, but nothing — really nothing — could outshine the pizza at Bollicine. Located around the corner from the historic Teatro Santa Cecilia, where we attended a top-notch jazz performance, the restaurant's outdoor seating was packed and festive on a Saturday night, with service friendly and quick. The menu offered a variety of antipasti, pastas, burgers, and salads, but the draw for us was the 20-plus pizzas. It was difficult to choose among offerings that included sausage, champignon mushrooms, anchovies, Mortadella, smoked scamorza, Gorgonzola, speck, red pumpkin cream, spicy salami, pistachio pesto, ricotta, sundried tomatoes, eggplant, rapini, and more. Our friends are tired of hearing us swoon over our choice — the Salento — with its fire-singed, pillowy crust topped with salty prosciutto, sweet yellow cherry tomatoes, creamy Buffalo mozzarella, and earthy, nutty artichokes. When I return to Palermo, this will be my first meal. Piazza Rivoluzione, 13, 90133 Palermo +39-327-002-6314, Necee Regis can be reached at . Necee Regis can be reached at

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